The best instant approval credit cards you can use immediately

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Need a credit card fast? Instant approval cards can put spending power in your hands, whether you have good credit, bad credit, or no credit history. These cards offer a decision on your application within minutes. They may even offer immediate access to your card details for online purchases.

Instant approval doesn't always mean guaranteed approval, but it does eliminate the anxious waiting period. Some cards cater to applicants with good credit scores, while others are designed for those with limited or poor credit history.

We'll explain how these cards work and highlight the best options so you can find the right fit for your wallet. 

Best instant approval credit cards

• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
• Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
• Citi Custom Cash® Card
• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
• Citi Simplicity® Card
• Prime Visa
• OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card
• Self Visa Credit Card
• Discover it® Secured Credit Card

Best instant approval credit cards for good to excellent credit

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Best for flexible travel rewards

Instant use: Immediately upon approval, get access to your card number and start using it online, in-app, and with Apple Pay/Google Pay.

Why we like it: Offers a generous sign-up bonus, flexible points that transfer to travel partners, and benefits like trip cancellation insurance and primary rental car coverage.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is a popular choice for travelers who want to earn valuable points on every purchase. 

Other benefits include 5X points on travel booked through Chase Travel℠, 3X points on dining, online grocery purchases, and select streaming services, 2X points on other travel purchases, and 1X points on all other purchases. While the Sapphire Preferred has a $95 annual fee, the generous sign-up bonus and ongoing rewards can offset the cost for frequent travelers.

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express: Best for groceries and streaming

Instant use: Immediately access your card number to start using online and in digital wallets upon approval.

Why we like it: Excellent cash back rates on everyday categories like U.S. supermarkets, U.S. streaming services, U.S. gas stations, and transit. 

The Blue Cash Preferred Card is a top pick for maximizing cash back on everyday expenses. Cardholders earn 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year, then 1%) and on select U.S. streaming subscriptions. The card also offers 3% cash back on transit and U.S. gas station purchases and 1% back on other purchases. Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout. 

The card has an introductory annual fee of $0 in the first year ($95 after). See rates and fees. 

Citi Custom Cash℠ Card: Best for automatic bonus categories

Instant use: Get instant access to your card number upon approval to use online and in digital wallets.

Why we like it: Automatically earns 5% cash back in your top spending category each billing cycle (up to $500 spent, then 1%), with no activation required. 

The Citi Custom Cash Card offers a unique rewards structure that automatically adjusts to your spending habits. For each billing cycle, you'll earn 5% cash back in your top eligible spending category (up to $500 spent) and 1% back on everything else. The card also has no annual fee, making it a low-cost way to earn bonus rewards on various purchases.

Eligible 5% categories include restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, select travel and transit, select streaming services, drugstores, home improvement stores, fitness clubs, and live entertainment.

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: Best for easy travel redemptions

Instant use: Upon approval, card details are available immediately in the Capital One mobile app. You can also instantly add the card to digital wallets.

Why we like it: Solid welcome bonus, simple 2X miles on every purchase, and no foreign transaction fees. 

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is a popular option for travelers who prefer simple, straightforward rewards. The card earns 2X miles on every purchase, with no bonus categories to track. You’ll also earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. 

Miles can be redeemed for travel purchases on your statement or transferred to Capital One's airline and hotel partners for potentially greater value. This card comes with up to $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, travel accident insurance, and rental car coverage. The annual fee is $95.

Citi Simplicity® Card: Best for balance transfers

Instant use: Get instant access to your card number upon approval to use online and in digital wallets.

Why we like it: While Citi Simplicity doesn’t offer any rewards or welcome bonuses, it has one of the best balance transfer introductory APR offers on the market. 

If you’re struggling to pay off credit card debt, getting approved for a card to help you get out of it is a priority. The Citi Simplicity is our top choice for an instant approval credit card for balance transfers, thanks to its lengthy introductory APR period. 

You can get 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 21 months and on new purchases for 12 months. After, a 19.24%-29.99% variable APR applies. You’ll be subject to a 3% balance transfer fee (or $5, whichever is greater) if you transfer in the first four months or a 5% fee (or $5, whichever is greater after that). Still, the interest savings over time can more than justify that initial cost. 

Prime Visa: Best for instant welcome bonus

Instant use: Upon approval, you can start using your card instantly, and you can access card details in your Prime account.

Why we like it: The Prime Visa is a great choice for Prime members, offering high rewards rates and a favorable redemption rate on Amazon spending.

While it’s easy to find a card that offers an instant decision on approval, or even one that you can use your card for spending right away, it is less common to find a card that offers you an immediate welcome bonus. 

The Prime Visa is an exception, offering new cardholders an Amazon gift card immediately upon approval — rather than after meeting a spending requirement over a set period. 

In addition, the Prime Visa offers a competitive rewards rate for brand loyalists. You’ll earn 5% cash back on Amazon, Whole Foods, and Chase Travel purchases, 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and local transit, and 1% back on all other purchases.

The Prime Visa doesn't charge an annual fee, but you do have to be an Amazon Prime member to qualify, which comes with its own membership fee. 

Best instant approval credit cards for bad credit or no credit 

OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card: Best for no credit check

Instant use: Use instantly upon approval in digital wallet apps, with card number available in the app

Why we like it: No credit check is required, reports to all three major credit bureaus, and a refundable deposit as low as $200.

The OpenSky Visa is a pretty basic card offering. It doesn’t come with everyday rewards or an intro APR offer, but its low barrier to entry makes it a good option for building credit. 

As a secured credit card, it requires a security deposit of at least $200, which becomes your credit limit. Your on-time payments with the card will be reported to all three major credit bureaus, which can help improve your score over time. 

The OpenSky Visa isn’t entirely without options for earning cash back, either. Cardholders have access to special promotions with select participating merchants, which, when activated, can offer up to 10% back on eligible purchases. 

Self Visa Credit Card: Best for building credit

Instant use: Use instantly upon approval in digital wallet apps, with card number available in the app

Why we like it: It offers the ability to build up your security deposit over time instead of coming up with hundreds of dollars for a deposit upfront. 

The Self Visa Credit Card is unlike other cards on this list, as it requires applicants to have a funded Self Credit Builder Account to qualify. However, the combination of the credit builder account and on-time credit card payments can help add even more positive history to users’ credit scores, making it a great choice for those with limited credit history. 

After opening a Self Credit Builder account and paying an administration fee, you’ll get a loan that’s held in a certificate of deposit (CD) for a set term. You then make monthly payments against this balance until the term ends, when you get the amount remaining in the CD back, less interest in fees. Your payments are reported to credit bureaus, helping to boost your score. 

Qualifying Credit Builder account holders can also apply for a Self Credit Card, which has a credit limit you can choose based on the savings progress you’ve made on your loan. On-time payments to your card are also reported to credit bureaus, offering an additional path to adding a positive history to your score. 

Discover it® Secured Credit Card: Best for secured card with rewards

Instant use: Use instantly upon approval in digital wallet apps, with card number available in the app

Why we like it: This card earns 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants (up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter), plus unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases — rare for a secured card. Discover matches all cash back earned in the first year.

Secured credit cards are great for those with bad credit, but most lack rewards and benefits. The Discover it Secured Credit Card is an exception, offering competitive rewards for a secured card and a valuable introductory bonus. 

To open a Discover it Secured Card, you’ll have to deposit at least $200, which becomes your credit limit. If you pay your bills on time for seven months, Discover will automatically review your account to upgrade to an unsecured card, and if you qualify, refund your deposit. 

What is an instant approval credit card? 

An instant approval card provides a decision on your application within minutes of submission rather than making you wait days or weeks for a response. Most issuers aim to give a decision immediately, though some applications may be reviewed over a longer period. 

Some instant approval credit cards also give new users access to their card numbers immediately. This means new cardholders can access a virtual card number or add their new card to a mobile wallet to start spending before their physical card arrives in the mail. 

Instant approval credit cards vs. guaranteed approval credit cards

Instant approval cards aren't the same as guaranteed approval cards. Here's the difference:

• Instant approval cards give you a decision (approved or denied) within minutes of submitting your application rather than making you wait days or weeks. Approval is not guaranteed.
• As the name implies, guaranteed approval cards approve nearly every application — even those with severely damaged credit. Options are limited, and terms are often less favorable (like low credit limits and high fees).

If your primary goal is to avoid a hard pull on your credit report, some instant approval cards (like the OpenSky Secured Visa) don't run a credit check. But again, approval isn't 100% guaranteed, as with "guaranteed approval" cards.

What is the easiest card to get approved for? 

The easiest credit cards to get approved for are those that do not require a credit check and are available to applicants regardless of their credit history. The OpenSky Secured Visa Credit Card is one example of a card that accepts applicants without a credit history. 

Other options for those with less-than-perfect credit include secured credit cards, like the Discover it Secured Credit Card. Because secured cards require users to make a deposit typically equal to their credit limit, the card issuer takes on less risk and can accept more applicants. 

What to look for in an instant approval credit card 

Credit cards are not one size fits all. When comparing instant approval credit cards, consider these key factors:

1. Credit score requirements: Some instant approval cards cater to those with good to excellent credit, while others accept applicants with limited or poor credit history. Know where your credit stands to find the best fit.
2. Rewards and benefits: Look for a card that earns rewards on the purchases you make most, whether that's cash back on groceries, points on travel, or miles you can redeem with your favorite airline or hotel.
3. Fees: Watch out for high annual fees, especially if you don't plan to use the card's perks regularly. Other common fees include balance transfer, cash advance, and foreign transaction fees.
4. Interest rates: If you think you may carry a balance, prioritize cards with lower ongoing APRs to save on interest. Some cards offer 0% intro APR promotions on new purchases or balance transfers.
5. Credit limits: Instant approval doesn't guarantee a high credit limit. Secured cards and those designed for poor credit tend to have lower limits, while premium rewards cards offer higher limits to those with excellent credit.

How to apply for an instant approval credit card 

If you’re ready to apply for an instant approval credit card, follow these steps: 

1. Research the best options. The first step in applying for any credit card should always be doing your research. Plenty of instant approval cards are available, so compare options to find a card that offers the right rewards, fees, and other terms for your needs. 
2. Collect required documentation. You must submit basic identifying information with any credit card application, including your personal information, income, and social security number (SSN). Make sure you have all of the required details nearby before you apply.
3. Submit your application. With your information, you’re ready to submit your credit card application on the issuer’s website. 
4. Add your card to virtual wallets. Depending on your new credit card, you may be able to add your card number to your mobile wallet of choice to start using it immediately. 

Do instant approval cards hurt your credit score?

Applying for an instant approval credit card can ding your credit score by a few points, just like any other card application. That's because most (but not all) instant approval cards do a hard pull of your credit report, which shows up as a new inquiry and stays on your credit report for two years.

A few instant approval cards, like the OpenSky Secured Visa, don't run a credit check, so they won't impact your credit score. But even cards that do a hard pull only cause a minor, temporary dip in your score, which bounces back within a few months as long as you practice good credit habits.

In the long run, an instant approval card can help your credit score if you use it responsibly. Positive payment history is the biggest factor in your credit score, so paying on time every month can boost your score over time. Just be sure to keep your balance low relative to your credit limit, as high utilization can hurt your score.

How we chose these cards 

Every credit card review we publish has undergone a rigorous editorial process to ensure accuracy and objectivity. Learn more about our methodology here. 

The bottom line

If you need a credit card as soon as possible, plenty of instant approval credit cards are available. Whether you have poor credit and want a card you are more likely to be approved for or just need a decision quickly; these cards can take some of the stress out of a credit card application. 

Just remember to use your credit responsibly and avoid debt whenever possible. While credit cards can be a great tool when you need payment flexibility, high interest rates make them an expensive borrowing option if you carry a balance in the long term. 

Editorial disclosure: Opinions expressed are author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included in the post.